Connect New York

Be Brave, Build Bold: A Generative Vision for Media

Date of Event: November 12, 2025

Media organizations have been constrained by platform dependency. Now, the opportunity — and responsibility — lies with executive leaders to reclaim control and build sustainable growth. Be Brave, Build Bold represents a generative vision for the industry: resilient business models, differentiated experiences, and ownership of the digital future.

At Connect New York, senior decision-makers will convene with Arc XP and other key leaders to examine practical strategies for 2026 and beyond. From AI-driven workflows to audience-first engagement and revenue innovation, you’ll gain exclusive insight into technologies and approaches that position your organization to lead — not follow — in the next era of media.

10:30AM - 10:45AM EST

Arrival & Networking: Coffee & Light Breakfast Items

10:45AM - 11:15AM EST

Opening Keynote: Be Brave, Build Bold - A Generative Future

Matthew Monahan, President, Arc XP

Vision-setting keynote to frame the day and introduce how technology + bold leadership fuel the next era of media.

11:15AM - 11:45AM EST

AI in Action: Building Bold w/ Arc XP

Joe Croney, CTO - Arc XP

11:45AM - 12:15PM EST

Reclaiming a Successful Future Through Data Ownership for Local News

Speaker: Biswajit Ganguly, CTO – The Baltimore Banner

Summary:

In an era where local news organizations have long depended on Big Tech for distribution, engagement, and monetization, true digital independence demands more than just great journalism — it requires control over data. This session will explore how The Baltimore Banner, a fast-growing all-digital local news startup, is building a scalable data lake to unify customer, content, and engagement data into a single, powerful platform. By leveraging AI-driven analytics and predictive modeling, The Banner is transforming raw data into actionable insights that drive subscriber growth, optimize retention, and inform editorial strategy. We will cover, how Banner is harnessing first-party data to deliver personalized user experiences and fuel sustainable revenue models.

12:15PM - 12:45PM EST

Protect & Monetize: Taking Back Control in the Age of AI

Session details coming soon!

12:45PM - 1:30PM EST

Lunch & Networking

Enjoy good food, good conversation, and connecting with your peers to discuss the morning sessions.

1:30PM - 2:00PM EST

Customer Spotlight: GenAI in the Real World

Session details coming soon!

2:00PM-2:30PM EST

The New Playbook for Audience Ownership

Panelists:

Amy S. Choi, Co-Founder and Editorial Director - The Mash-Up Americans

Christian Ross, Vice President of Product & Technology

2:30PM - 3:00PM EST

Expert AMA: Ask Us Anything, Shape What's Next

3:00PM - 3:30PM EST

The App Advantage - Unpacking How Mobile App Strategies Drive Deeper Engagement, Retention, and Monetization

Panelists:

Ariscielle Novicio (NY Post)

James Cooney (Condé Nast)

Kathy Colafemina, VP Program Management (Boston Globe)

Moderator: Jonny Kaldor, CEO - Pugpig

3:30PM - 4:00PM EST

Reset Break and Refreshments

4:00PM - 5:00PM EST

Audience First: Prioritizing Customers in Novel User Experiences & Monetization Models

Karl Wells, Chief Growth Officer - The Washington Post